Beguiling back-door Hondas - used car buying guide

These Honda imports were never officially offered in the UK, but don't let that stop you.

1. Honda Civic Type R saloon (2007-2010)

Fancy a third-gen Civic Type R but worried it’s not practical enough? The Japan-only Type R four-door, labelled FD2, might be for you.

Well, it will be if you want more power. With 221bhp at 8400rpm from its VTEC engine, it betters the European car’s 198bhp. Under the skin, the hatch’s bone-shaking torsion beam rear suspension has been replaced by a fully independent set-up.

The chassis is more rigid, too, with impressive results, namely racer-like super-sharp steering and immense roadholding, plus it corners precisely and has a firm but well-controlled ride. A sub six-second 0-62mph time is claimed.

If you can find one, it’ll be expensive (£12k and up) but worth it.

2. Honda Beat (1991-1996)

Japan’s tiny Kei cars were built to exploit tax and insurance rules, and in the 1990s many were unofficially imported to the UK. None was more fetching than the Honda Beat, a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive roadster of micro proportions and excellent manners, with a design originating from Pininfarina.  

It was fun, too. Its 64bhp, 660cc three-pot engine revved to 8100rpm, with drive sent via a five-speed manual gearbox. This was wind-in-the-hair motoring on a shrunken scale. On the road, it went where larger cars couldn’t, and if you couldn’t find a parking space, you could always pick it up and carry it.

They’re rarer than hen’s teeth now, but £2k-£4k can buy you a good one.      

3. Honda Element (2003-2011)

The boxy, funky and fun Honda Element could have been a big hit in the UK. Designed and built in the US, this plastic-clad beauty was based on the CR-V.

Inside, a hose-down rubber floor, removable rear seats and a clever rear tailgate gave the Element extra versatility and practicality, while the rear-hinged rear doors and absence of B-pillars left a huge and unhindered loading space. Surf dudes loved it.

You could eat in it, sleep in it, or carry friends, bicycles and beach paraphernalia in it. It had two or four-wheel drive, and even a 160bhp 2.4-litre VTEC engine from the Accord. It was a hoot to drive, too.

They’re rare in the UK, but expect to pay £10k-£12k if you can find one.

4. Honda NSX-R (2002-2005)

Before the original NSX, supercars were temperamental and difficult to drive, but the two-seat, mid-engined V6 Honda was fast, tractable and reliable.